Brumbies Trio Picked for Wallabies Tour Opener

09 Nov Brumbies Trio Picked for Wallabies Tour Opener

Michael Cheika has named three Plus500 Brumbies to play Wales in the Wallabies opening fixture on their European tour.

Bookend duo Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa will look to lock down the Wallabies setpiece against a strong Welsh pack.

David Pocock plays at Number 8 again, having won his second John Eales Medal in October thanks to perhaps his most consistent season in gold.

Elsewhere, Adam Coleman will start at lock after missing the third Bledisloe Cup clash because of a groin strain while Jack Dempsey and Samu Kerevi make their long-awaited return to the starting side after playing off the bench against New Zealand.

Kerevi’s start at outside centre has forced a reshuffle to the Wallabies backline with Israel Folau returning to the right wing while Sefa Naivalu has been preferred to Marika Koroibete on the left edge.

Hooker Tolu Latu will make just his second Test start on Saturday afternoon almost two years on from his first against France back in November 2016.

Veteran Tatafu Polota-Nau will serve as Latu’s deputy and is in line to make his return to the Test arena for the first time since facing Argentina on the Gold Coast while Jack Maddocks has overcome a thumb injury that’s ruled him out for almost two months.

The Wallabies will wear a poppy on their sleeve this weekend to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Armistice Day on November 11.

Rugby Australia will honour the servicemen and women who perished during the Great War, including 10 Wallabies, when they lay a wreath at the Armistice Centenary at Villers-Bretonneux.

The Wallabies Spring Tour Test Matches will be live, free and in HD on SBS, as well as streamed live online via SBS On Demand.

The Spring Tour will also be screened LIVE on beIN Sports, available to all FOX Sports subscribers and will be available to stream via Foxtel Go.